Package-banding machine



Sept. 21 1926. 1,600,833

J. s. MccHEsNl-:Y

PACKAGE BANDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 30. 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet .1.

Sept. 21 1926. ,500,833

J. S. MCCHESNEY PACKAGE BANDING MACHINE original Filed Dec. 3o, 1918 4 sheets-'sheet 2 Sept. 21 1926. 1,600,833

J. S. MCCHESNEY PACKAGE BANDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec, 30, 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 2l 1926. 1,690,833

J. s. MCCHESNEY PACKAGE BANDI NG MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 30. "i918 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SHERMAN MCCHESNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 CARY` MANUFACTURING CO., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

PACKAGE-BANDEN@ MACHINE.

Application led December 30, 1918, Serial No. 268,873. Renewed November 3', 1922. Serial No. 598,759i.

In some of its general aspects, my inven-i tion relates to appliances for securing metal Wire'or stri ends to each other while the Wires or strips are under tension, and for effectively uniting the ends of a metal loop while the same is banding a package or other object or group of objects, the term Wire being used by me in the broad sense in which it includes flat metal strips of various cross-sections. In one aspect, my invention'aims to provide an appliance for this general purpose which will efectively tighten a banding loop about the object encircled by the latter; which will automatically adjust itself in position during the tensioning, so as to distribute the tensioning elfect equally in opposite directions from the appliance; which may be easily and speedily manipulated by any ordinary workman, which will automatically discontinue the tensioning when the band has been tightened to a predetermined degree; which can readily be adjusted as to the extent to which the band is tightened by lthe appliance; which will hold the tightened band under tension while overlapped ortions thereof are being secured to each ot 1er, and which will speedily permit the securing of such overlapped portions to each other at various points -or lines including the extreme tip portions of each end of the wire or strip from which the band is-formed.

In another aspect, my invention' aims to provide an easily and speedilypoperated appliance, and desirably arpower-driven appliance, for tightening an encircling band about a box or other object to a tension having a predetermined relation to the resistance offered to such tensioning, as .for example, to the extent to which a banded box resists the tendency to draw the band tight-4 simple means for supplying an electric Welding current tol such an appliance and `for automatically breaking this current after the Welding has been ell'ected along a line ot' band transverse of the overlapped Wire portions, so that the movable electrode Will be disconnected from the circuit during its return movement but will still exert a pressure during the said return movement and will automatically be reconnected to the circuit after the completion of its travel, and hence ready for another welding operat-ion.

Furthermore7 my invention aims to provide an appliance of the class described which will not require the operator to `guide the same in any Way after it has been placed in proper position, but which may be left free -to adjust itself to the strains on the different band portions; which may easily `be set in operation by the simple pressing .of/'a button; which ordinarily will automatically ceasefits operation of tensioning the band when thisv tensioning has been carried to a certain desired extent, but which can readily be stopped in operation at some earlier point by the simple pressing of another button. Moreover, my invention aims to`provide lan appliance of the class described which will readily be portable and therefore adapted for convenient use with boxes, packages or thet like of widely va ing sizes, and in which the tensioning mec anism may either be arranged for step-bystep operation or for continuous or nonstepping operation. Still other objects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings, in

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of anappliance embodying my invention and showing the same in position for tensioning and joining the ends of ay flat wire band encircling a box ortpackage'in onedirection.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same boxk and appliance, together with a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the power andV circuit connections.

Fig. 3 is'an enlarged plan view of the appliance of Fig. 1 with the flexible shaft detached from the same.

Fig. 4 is a 'transverse vertical section taken through Fig. 3 along the zigzag line 4--4.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through Fig. 4 along the line 5--5.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged and fragmentary view showing the mechanism' for control ling the supply of current to the rollei` which forms one electrode of the electric welding portion of my appliance.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of another embodiment .of my invention, namely one in which the tensioning of the wire band is effected by a step-by-step movement.

Fig. 8 is a central and vertical longitudinal section through the appliance of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section through Fig. 8 along the line 9-9, together with a diagrammatic view showing the circuit connections to the electric welding mechanism forming part of my appliance. Fig. 10-is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 7

Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical sectiontaken along the line 11-11vof Fig. 8.

Fig. 12 is a front view of the appliance of Figs. 7 and 8 with the electric welding mechanism removed.

Fig. 13 is a pers ective view of the toe plate at the forwar end of either of illustrated embodiments, showing the mounting of the electrode on the same and the method of insulating the electrodes from each other.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing an appliance embodying my invention as it appears in position for weld-joining two transversely overlapped bands encircling Aa package. v

In accomplishing the purposes of m invention according to the illustrated em odiments, I provide a casing having a main port-ion 1 carrying a pair of shoes 2 and 3, which shoes are desirably convexed so that they will readily ride over irregularities in the surface of the box or other object on which my appliance is used.` The casing portion 1 and an opposed front portion\4 are connected by a stirrup 5 forming a bearing for a trunnion for an inner casing 6 which carries both the tensioning mechanism, the switching mechanisms, and the movable parts of the electric welding mechanism. Mounted transversely of the inner casing 6 'at a point considerably forward of the trunnion shaft is a shaft 7 which has keyed to it a worm wheel 8 and a pair of tensioning wheels 9, these wheels desirably having serrated peripheries and being spaced from each other longitudinally A rollers 9 and the of the shaft 7. Mounted in the shoe 2 directly under the shaft 7* is a gripper screw 10 having a knurled or otherwise roughened upper end which projects slightly above the top of the shoe 2. The worm wheel 8 is continuously engaged bya worm 11 fast upon a worm shaft 12 which is mounted longitudinally of the upper portion of the inner casin 6. This shaft extends slidably through a aring 13 as shown in Fig. 4 and is rotated by a flexible shaft 14 driven by' an electrically controlled source of power, such as .the electric motor 15 of Fig. 2. Fast upon the shaft 12 is a collar 16 which is connected through a ball-bearing thrust arrangement with a corresponding collar on'a sleeve 17 housing a portion of the "shaft 1,2. This sleeve is normally pressed towards the bearing 13 bya spring 18 `which bears at its other end against a bushing 19 threaded into one end of the casing 6 and which bushing is locked in position by a nut -20.

The inner casing is continuously ur ed in an upward direction about the trunnion shaft 5 by a spring 21 interposed between lugs carried respectively by thisV inner casing 6 and by the outer casing 1, as shown in Fi 4. However, these two casings can be ad]usted as to their relative sition by a cam 22 engaging the top of thfe inner casing 6 and pivoted between the outer casing portions 1 and 4, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. On releasing the cam 22 by means of a handle fastened to it, the spring 21 will force the inner casing to swing upwardly, thereby increasin the distance between the urled top of the nut 10, so that the two end portions of a banding stri l can -readily be inserted from one side of t e appliance between the roller and the said screw.

In o'eration, the banding strip, cut to 'a suita le length, isfirst looped around the package and partl drawn up by hand, after which the ends o the strip are overlapped iatwise with their tips extending in opposite directions, whereupon the appliance is placed on the package with the shoes 2 and 3` slid between the loop and the package into the position shown 1n Fig. 4; that is to say, in a position in which the overlapped strip portlons extend between the gripper screw 10 and the wheels 9 and in whlch thel 1,eoo,esa

since the latter is locked in position by theV serrated tip of the s crew 10. The result will be a tensioning of the bandjabout .the

package and a consequent increase. in thetorque on the worm wheel 8, thereby likewise increasin the back-thrust upon the worm 11 yand t e shaft 12. As soon as this back thrust is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the sprin 18, the collar 16 on the shaft 12 will cause t e sleeve 17 to compress the spring while permitting the shaft 12 to slide rearwardly of the machine. That is to say, the worm will4 rotate to some extent without correspondingly propelling the worm wheel an the tensioning rollers.

In its desirable embodiments, I employ this longitudinal movement of the shaft 12 and consequently of the sleeve 17 for automatically discontinuingthe tensioning of the band when the latter has been tightened. to a predetermined degree. For example, I may mount an ordinary double-push-button switch 23 on the .inner` end of the casing 6 and may provide thesleeve 17 `with an arm 24 adapted to engage one button v25 of the switch. Then I may arrange the companion if button .26 to that it can readily be reached by the hand of the operator for starting the operation, the switch as described being in the circuit of the motor as shownin Fig. 2. Thus arran ed, a pressingof the button 26 will start t e motor and consequently the tensioning; mechanism and the motor will continue `in y o ration until the graduall increasing bac -thrust on the worm sha t causes-the arm 24 of the sleeve'17-to engage the olf button 25 of the .switch and therey by to disconnect the motor from the circuit.

Ithus automatically cause .my a'ppliance to discontinue the tensionin when the desired tightness is reached, whic may be by a' variable point even with a given size of package, owinfr to the differences inl resistance offeredD by different pieces ofl wire towards lappin against the sides of the box and towar s forming relatively sharp bends at the edges ofthe box, and owing also to the resistance offered by different boxes to the indentingof the edges of the wire.

lVhen the current is thus shut off, the band will be left tightened around the package, with only the-relatively thin shoes 2 and Bbetween the surface of the package and portions of the banding loop. By using a worm of a relatively low pitch, I readily cause this to resist any tendency towards its being rotated backwardly by a reverse rothe pac age.

tation of the worm wheel 8, and hence enablethe worm to hold the rollers 9 at the extreme osition which they have reached durin t e tension. I thenv secure overla pe portions of the metal strip .to each ot 1er whilethe band is held 4under this tension,-after which I release ythe clamping cam 22 and thus permit the shoesl of the appliance to be slid sideways out of the banding loo so as to -remove the appliance from To secure the. overla ped strip portions to each other, I desirab y em loy` anv electric.

welding mechanism mounte at the forward. v

end of my appliance. For -this purpose, the forward shoe 2 may ycarry anelectrode27, suitably insulated from the shoe as shown in Fig. 1.3, this electrodev having a groove corresponding substantially -in depth to the thickness of the thinnest pair of overlapped stri s with which the appliance is to be used). Mounted'on the forward end of the inner casing 6 is a carrier 28 which is transversely grooved to afford guidways for a slide 29 carryinfr the shaft 30 of a roller 31 which roller tforms the movable welding electrode. vThis slide 29 is adapted to be reciprocated transversely of the appliance byv a lever 3 2 operated through a conveniently disposed handle 33. The fastening vof the carrierl 28 to the front. of the 1 casing of m appliance is desirably adjustable, soLv t at the carrier can be mountmet-al strips and for the gradual wear of the roller 31x` For example, the rear face of the .carrier 28-\and the forward-.face of the adj acent casingportionv may both be corrugated, so that the carrier may be adjusted as to vhei ht by loosening the fastening screws andg shifting the carrier in position. While the band is being tensioned, the roller 31 is desirably inl the position of Fig.

9, with its lower edge resting on an insulating block 34 whichkeeps it out of contact with the lower electrode 27. As soon as the band has been properly tensioned, the han.-v

the roller 31 to pass over the upper of the two strips with such ressure as is deter- 'mined by the said vertical adjusting of the carrier 28. Whenv the roller has passed clear across the uppery strip, it again enp gages another insulating block 35 which likewise maintains it out ofcontact with the stationary electrode 27.

In ractice, I desirably apply current to the eectrodes While the movable one is moved in one direction across the overlapped strips, but leave the current off while the roller 31 is being retracted, so as to merely secure the added pressure effect of this roller during its return movement. To accomplish this, I desirably provide a switching mechanism associated with the movement of the slide 29, as shown for example in Fig. 9. In this illustration, the primary circuit 36 of the welding mechanism is con- Ytrolled by a switch having a rocking switch lever 37 pivoted on the carrier 28 and held in either of two positions by a snapoverthis lever will then maintain the supply of Welding current connected to the electrodes 27 and 31 while the roller is being moved over the overlap ed wire portions to weld the latter to eac other along a transverse band corresponding substantially in width to that of the edge of the roller electrode 31. Then as the slide 29 is moved further by t-he lever 32, so as to carrythe roller electrode beyond the overlapped strips, the lug on the slide encounters the lug on the other end of the rocking lever 37, therebytilting this switch lever to its off position as shown in Fig. 6 and rupturing the welding circuit. The welding electrodes are therefore dead during the return movement of vthe roller across the metal strips, so that. this return movement simply exerts pressure on 'the overlapped strip portions to make the weldjoining all the more effective. However, as the slide 29 approaches the extreme end of this return travel, it again moves the rocking switch lever 'to its circuit-closing position of Fig. 9, so as to be ready for another Welding operation,

The welding part of my appliance as thus described can be used both quickly and `effectively for welding the overlapped', portions to each other along a number of other transverse lines, preferably including bands at the extreme tips of the overlapped stri s. To shift the position of the appliance or this purpose, it is only necessary to release the clamping .cam 22, thus permitting the spring 21 to raise the main portion of my appliance and to bring the rollers 9 out of engagement with the upper strip portion, whereupon the appliance may. readily be slipped backwards or forwards along the strip to new positions, the mechanism being readily swung back by the return movement of the cam 22 into proper position for welding. When the desired extent of welding has been completed, the cam 22 is loosened and the appliance can then be slipped sidewa s off the band and removed entirely from t e package: While this would apparently leave a gap between the adjoined band portions and the adjacent side of the package, I have found that by sufiiciently tensioning the band before the welding is effected, this portion of the band will be drawn:l down towards' the package by the tendency to equalize the tension in different parts of the band, thereby making such a 'gap negligible in practice.

In my appliance means are provided for the sidewise insertion of the looped band into housing and for the sidewlse -withdrawal of said looped band after the lapping end portions of the band shall have been fastened or Aunited together. Such'sidewise insertion and withdrawal of the band is attained by the provision of a horizontal longitudinal opening in the lower part of the housing. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the housingl at one side (the left side of Figures 4 and 5) is closed, but at the opposite side the horizontal and longitudinal slot referred to is provided by relatively spacing the shoes 2, 3, andthe lower edge portion of the side membery 4, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5. Obviously, the end portions of a looped band may be inserted freely through said longitudinal horizontal space or opening, orthe appliance may be slipped sidewise over the lapped portions of the band, the movement being laterally with respect to the housing; Again, the united'or fastened end portions of the band are removable in a lateral or sidewise direction through the slot or opening in the housing.

My appliance is movable bodily with respect to the package during the operation of tensioning the band for the purpose of drawing said band into engagement tightly with the package. clude the movement of the band or of the appliance in a direction' laterally of. the

band during the tensioning operation, and, moreover,- it is desirable to preclude such relative lateral movement of the lapped terminal portions of the band and the appliance at and during the fastening operation obtaining in the example shown, by the use of'welding electrodes, one of which is movable in a direction crosswise of the band. Means are provided for precluding a relatively lateral movement or displacement of the lapped band ends and the appliance during the tensioning or joining, or during both tensioning or joining, and while such means ma be of various forms. I have Shown in igures 4, 6, 8 and 9, the shoe l2 as being provided in its top face with a. groove for receiving the lapping portions of the band. This groove occupies such relation to the horizontal longitudinal space It is desirable to prcsion members 9, 10, are engaged with thel lapped portions of the'band. ()bviously,'the described construction provides means or retaining the terminal portions of the loop during the tensioning operation, as well as during the joining or welding operation, and said constructionJ thus prevents withdrawal sidewise of the loop terminals at the described stages. l

Moreover, the welding portion of my a pliancecan not only be used for joining t e overlapping portions of a single yband to each other, but can also be used speedily and effectively for weld-joining the intercepting portions of metal bands encircling a package in relatively transverse directions.

- Thus, my appliance can be used as above described for tensioning two metal bands extending' at right angles to each other about an ordinary 'rectangular box as shown in Fig. 14, and can then be used for welding the overla pin portions of the two bands to each otllier :gong a line or strip diagonal of both bands. To allow for' this, I desirably form the stationary electrode 27 with a recess permitting the extension of trans-` versely overlapping strips through the same, as for example after the manner of Fig. 13. Being thus ableto use the same appliance without an change whatever both for tensioning an weld-joining the ends of sepa. rate bands and for securing relativel transverse bands to each other, I can rea ily employ-my appliance also for banding o jects aving corners which would not be indented by the band, or for use in cases where the shrinkage of the banded objects might tend to loosen the bands and permit a sliding of the'latter, which sliding will be prevented in either case by thus securing the. severed bands to each other. i

However, while I have heretofore vdescribed my appliance'as embodied in a form in which the tensioning is effected by a continuous movement of the strip-engaging rollers, and in which substantially the entire operating mechanism is moved with respect to the feet or shoesjby the releasing of the cam,I do not wish to be limited to these or other details of the construction and arrangement here disclosed, it being obvious' that the same might be modifiedi in many ways without departing from the spirit of my4 invention. For exam le, Figs. 7 and 8 show an embodimentin which the tensioning roll- .ers 42 are not mounted on the -same shaft as the worm wheel 8, but are operatively connected to the worm wheel through a mechanism which aiords a step-by-step movement of the tensioning wheels 42. For this purwards in-equalizing the strains.

pose,'I am showing in Figs. Sto 12 inclusive an eccentric 43 fast upon the shaft of the worm wheel 8 and hence adapted to reciprocate an eccentric rod 44 connected' to an arm 45. This arm 45, together with the wheels 42 are mounted on an eccentric sleeve 46 which lis loose on a shaft 47 and which 4sleeve may be shifted in position by means of an adjusting arm 48. Pivoted tothe pin 49 which connects the arms 45. with the eccentric arm 44 is a dog 50 engagingv a ratchet wheel 51 which is fastenedbetween the two wheels 42. Thus arranged, it will be seen` from Fig. 8 that rotation of the worm wheel 8 will operate through the eccentric 43 and the eccentric arm 44 to rock the arm 45 back- L ward and forward, in doing which this arm will cause the dog 50 to move the ratchet 5l step-by-step and'will therefore cause a corresponding stepwise movement of the tensioning Wheels 42 which are locked against reverse movement by a spring-pressed pawl 61. In thev embodiment thus shown, I have connected the eccentric sleeve 46 with a portion of the casingthrough a spring 53 continuously tendingl to turn the eccentric to a Aposition in which itglowers the wheels 42 (and therefore tending to clamp these wheels against the upper of the wire Strips) but permittingthe rollers to be raised by a movement of the handle 48 against the tension of the said spring when the appliance is to be slipped into its" initial position or moved from one position to another.

VVit-h either embodiment, it will be Aobvious thatafter the appliancefhas been placed in position for -tensioning'the loop, the mere pressing of the button 26 starts it in operatiomand the tensioningycan then be effected to theA desired extent without any attention on the\part of the operator. During this tensioning, nthe strains on the overlappin wire endsywill tend to move the shoe 2 and the rollers `9 in opposite directions, hence they will tendrtoslide the appliance back- With the shoes'convexed to permit easy sliding and with vthe appliance untouched by the. operator and only connected to the source of power through a flexible shaft, my aipliance is Vfree to adjust itself in position. onsequently, I can equalize the tensioning of the'band inopposite directions towards the appliance, which would not be possible with a hando erated machine or indeed with any manua ly uided machine', since the operator wouldg more or less consciously exert pressure in one direction or another.

Moreover, by adjusting the bushing 19 against which the tension-.controlling spring presses, I can quickly and easily predetermine the extentv of the tensioning strain yon the wire loops, according tov the sizel and character of the object which is being banded, and according yto the stiffness of the wire.

aol

To enable even an inexperienced operator to control the tension properly, I desirably provide an indicator for showing the relative adjustment of the tension-controlling.spring. rIhus, I may mount a graduated gage 55 on the rear of the casing, which gage can be read opposite the hexagonal part offthe bushing 20, so that the operator only needs to be instructed as to the proper gage reading for any given size and type of object.

I claim as my invention: e

1. In a wire banding appliance, tensioning mechanism, power means for actuating the tensioning mechanism, an electric circuit controlling the power means, and means responsive to a predetermined tensioning of the wire by the tensioning mechanism for controlling the saidelectric circuit.

2. In a wire banding appliance, mechanism for tensioning the band, electric motor driven means for actuating the said mechanism, a circuit supplying the motor; and "means responsive to a predetermined tensioning of the band, for breaking the circuit.

3. In a wire-tensioning appliance, wiretensioning mechanism, power means for actuating the mechanism, an electric circuit controlling the power means, a switch controlling the electric circuit; and means, responsive to the resistance which the wire Aoffers to the tensioning, for operating-'the switch.

, 4. In an appliance for tensioning a flatl the tensioning e ement from its .engagement with the second 'named wire portion.

5. In a mechanism for tensioning a wire band, a wheel engaging the band to'move the same in the desired direction, an electric .motor connectedfor rotating `the wheel, a

switch controlling thel operation of the motor, and means responsive Yto the effective torque of the wheel for actuating the switch Vto open the motor circuit.

6. In a mechanism for tensioning a wire band, mechanism for imparting relative ,slidable movement to the ends of the band while overlapped longitudinally with their tips extending in opposite directions, driving means for the said mechanism, and means res onsive to a predetermined tensioning o the wire band for halting the driving means. p

7. In 'a package-banding machine, wiretensioning means, driving mechanism for the same including a worm-wheel and a. worm driving the latter, and means actuated by the back-thrust on the Worm for halting the driving mechanism.

8. In a wire tensioning a pliance, wire tensioning mechanism including a worm wheel and a worm driving the latter; powe'r-driven means for rotating the'worm, a mounting for the worm arranged for permitting a sliding of the latter in the direction of lits back thrust without disturbing the connection between the worm and the worm wheel, yielding means for resisting the sliding of the worm in the said direction,

'and means actuated by such sliding of the worm for halting the said driving means.

9. Wire-pulling means including a'wormwheel, a worm driving the latter, a shaft fast upon the Worm', a bearing for the said shaft arranged for permitting a longitudinal sliding of the shaft therein, a sleeve non-rotatably carried by the shaft, yielding means normally preventing the sleeve and the. that from sliding in one direction; means for 'rotatinfr the shaft; and means operated by a slidlng'of the sleeve in the said direction, for halting the shaft-rotating means.

l0. Iny an appliance for wire-banding a package or the like, a support adapted to rest upon the package, a carrier movably mounted on the support, a tensioning wheel and a driving mechanism for the same both mounted on the carrier, and means for adjusting the position of the carrier with re` spect to the support.

11.1In a mechanism for tensioning a wire band about a package, mechanism arranged for moving an end of the wire band in one direction while maintaining the other end rigid with respect to the mechanism, a support for the mechanism slidably resting on the package, and flexible driving means' connecting the said mechanism with a source of power, the flexibility of the driving means permitting the said support to move with respect to the ackage in response to the strains on the wire band. v

12. In a mechanism for tensioning a wire band about a package, wire-tensioning mechanism, a carrier for the said mecha nism, and relatively spaced shoes su porting the carrier and resting upon a surtizice of the package, the said shoes resenting convexed faces towards the pac age to permit of their sliding over irregularities in the surface of the latter.

13. In an ap liance of the class designated, means or tensioning overlapping portions of a wire band, means for welding overlapped band portions to each other along a transverse line while the band is held under tension, and means for releasing the tensioning means from the band without package or the like, wire-tensioning mechashifting the latter in position with respect to the Wire band, the appliance being then slidable` to other positions forpermitting the transverse interwelding of the overlapped band portions along other lines.`

14. In an appliance for wire-banding a nism, a source of power connected thereto, a manually operable push switch mounted jointly with the said mechanism and controlling the supply of power; and means responsive to a predetermined tensioning of the wire band for operating the same push switch. l

15.`In an appliance for wire-bandin a package or the like, `a support adapte to rest upon the package, a carrier movably mounted on the support, a tensioning wheel and a driving mechanism for the same both mounted on the carrier, spring means continuously tending to move the carrier in one `direction with respect to the su port, and

means'for moving the carrier int e opposite direction.

16. In an appliance for banding an object with a loop' of wire having its proposed terminal portions in longitudinal overlapping relation adjacent to the package, a support having a gripperpart disposed between the package and the nearer of the overlapping wire portions; a mechanism carrier pivoted upon the support; tensioning mechanism mounted on the carrier and including a Wirepulling member arranged for engaging the other overlapping wire portion; and means for moving the carrier with respect to the support to bring the Wire-pulling member into and out of its said engaging relation to one of the overlapping wire portions.

17. In an appliance for tensioning a wire band about a package or thelike, transmission means including a rotating driving element, a driven element geared to the driving element, a mounting for said elements permitting rotation of the driving element without the corresponding rotation of the driven element, power means connected to the driving element; and means responsive to a predetermined extent f the said action of the mounting, for halting the power of the latter, wire-pulling means engaging the other of the overlapping wire portions and arranged for slidingthe latter with respect to, the said Wire-gripping means; ya`

portable mounting for all of the aforesaid mechanism, and driving means flexibly connected to the wire-pulling means; the sald mounting being slidable with respect lto the package, the slidability of the mounting cooperating with the flexibility of the connection to permit the saidmounting to move with respect to the package during the tensioningcof the wire in response to strains on the wireloop.

19. In an appliance of the character described, the combination with a support havinga lateral entrance slot for the Work, means carried by the support for frictionally and movably engaging the work, driving means operatively connected to the said means, control means also carried by the support for automatically halting the driving means when a predetermined 'effect has been attained, and means for thereafter releasing the first named means from the work to permit the latter to be Withdrawn through the said slot.

20. In a wire-banding appliance, tensioning mechanism, power means for actuating the4 mechanism, adjustable means responsive to a redetermined tensioning of the wire band or halting the power means and means for indicating the adjustment o the said adjustable means.

21. In a wire-tensioning appliance, wiretensioning mechanism, power means for actuating the same, an electric circuit controlling the same, a switch controlling the same, means responsive to the tensioning for actuating the switch, and means for indicating the tension at which the said responsive means actuates the switch.

22. Mechanism as per claim 9, in combination with means for adjusting the yielding means, means for indicating the extent u of the said adjusting.

23. In a package-banding machine, Wiretensioning means, driving mechanism for the same including fa worm-Wheel and a worm driving the latter, control means responsive tothe back-thrust on the worm for halting the driving mechanism, and means foradjusting the control means to vary thev back-thrust required for actuating the latter. 24. In a portable machine for banding a package, means. for holding the terminal portionsl of a looped band in relatively lapping position, means for tensioning a looped band, means for securing said lapped ends to each other, a carrier for said means, said carrier having means for the insertion laterally of the disconnected ends of. a loop and for the lateral withdrawal of the secured ends of the same looped band, and means to retain said lapped ends against relative displacement to the carrier at the period of operationof said means.

25. A portable vpackage banding mechanism embodying a supporting member provided with a smooth bottom-` to adapt said package banding mechanismas an entirety to slide relatively to a package upon which said supporting lmember is adapted to rest,

said end portions of the band while the latter is under tension.

26. A portable package banding mechadnisin embodying a supporting member provided with a smooth bottom to adapt said package banding mechanism as an entirety to slide relatively to a package upon which said supportingmember is adapted to rest, band-tensioning means carried by said supporting member, electrical band-welding means also carried by said supporting membei', and controlling means for said electrical band-welding means.y

27. A portable package banding mechanism embodying a two -part supporting member the parts of which are relatively movable and one part of which is adapted to rest upon a packageto be banded, a plurality of co-operable tensioning members cariied respectively by said relatively movable parts of the two part supporting meinber, and a plurality of welding electrodes carried res ectivelyby the relatively movable parts oi) said supporting member.

28. A portable package banding mechanism embodying a two part supporting member the parts of which are connected for relative movement, a tension member `carried by one partof said supporting member, a second tension member carried by an other part of the supporting member and in cooperative relation to the first named tension member, a welding electrode carried by one part of said two part supporting member, and a second welding electrode carried by the other part of said two part supporting member and in co-operative relation to the first named welding electrode.

29. In an appliance for wire banding a package or the like, aI support adapted to rest upon the package and including a shoe adapted to be interposed between the package and the two end portions of a. wire band when the said end portions are overlapped longitudinally of each other with theirr tips extending in opposite directions, wire tensioning means carried by the su port for tightening the band aboutthe package, and securing meanscarried by the support at a. predetermined distance from the tensioning means and operable for securing the overlapped band' portions directly to each other subsequent to the tensioning whereby the said securing'may be eiiected at a predetermined point on the wire loop and without moving the appliance with respect to the package.

30. A package banding ap liance comprising in a unitary and portable mounting Aafter securing overlapping ada ted to rest upon the package, means for tensioning overlapping portions of a wire band encircling the package, and means for welding overlapped band portions to each other along a line transverseof the wire band while the latter is held under tension.

31. In a machine for banding packages, wire-tensioning means including a friction wheel engaging the wire, a mounting for the friction wheel arranged for permitting the same to be-moved 'into and out of engagement with the wire, and manually operable means associated with the mounting for holding the wheel. in frictional engagement with the wire.

32. A package banding machine, comprising in` a unitary and portable appliance means for holding wire in a loop encircling the package and with one end portion longitudinally and contiguously .overlapping an adjacent loop portion, tensioning means `for 'tightening t e loop about the object, securing means for securing overlapped wire portions directly to each other while the' `tightened loop is held under tension, means for automatically discontinuing the tensioning when the desired tightness is reached, and a support including common means for spacing the said tensioning and securing means from the packa e.

33. A banding machine comprising a support adapted to rest upon a package, a stepby-step tensioning mechanism carried by the support for tightening a wire loop about the package and holding the same under tension, a wire-joining mechanism cairied by the support and spaced from the tensioning mechanism longitudinall of the wire of the loop and arranged for directly uniting terminal wire loop portions to each other, said wire-joining mechanism having an element with respect to which one terminal loop portion is stationary during the tensioning of the loop while the other terminal loop portion is movable past the said element during the tensioning.

34. In a package banding appliance, a portable support, step-by-step tensioning mechanism carried by the support and including a rotatable member engaging a portion o a wire loop encircling the package for tightening the loop about the package, and wire-joining mechanism carried by the said support and arranged for directly` uniting overlapped wire loop portions at a predetermined spacin from the step-bystep mechanism and w ile the latter is holding the loop under tension.

35,'In a portable machine for bundling a package with Wire, means for tensioning'y a Wire loop about the package, mleans, for therertions of the wire loop directly to each ot er, and a common carrier for both of the aforesaid meansm im the said carrier being` adapted "to rest upon VEl() age with wire, means for ,holding the wire in the form of a loop encircling thepack' the package during the operation of the machine and having a lateral and substantially horizontal opening for the sidewise insertion of the wire loop and the corresponding withdrawal of the united wire loop portions in combination with means for preventing such sidewise withdrawal of the wire during the tensioning of the loop.

36. A portable machine for banding a package with Wire, coniprisin in a unitary and portable machine means or tensioning a wire loop around the package, means for thereafter securing overlapping portions of the wire loop directly to each other; and a common carrier for both of the aforesaid means, the said carrier bein adapted to rest upon the packa e during ie operation of the machine and having a lateral and substantially horizontal v'slot for the sidewise insertion of the wire loop and the corresponding withdrawal of the united wire loop portions, in combination with means for venting Asuch sidewise withdrawal of the Wire during the said securing of loop portions to each other.

87. In an appliance for banding a package with a loop of wire,`tcnsioning mechanism for tightening'the loop about the package, means for securing overlapped wire portions of the tensioned -loop directly to -each other, a common carrier adapted to rest directly on the package and carrying both the said mechanism and the said means and having an opening permitting the lateral insertion and withdrawal lof-portions of the loop, and means mounted on the Icarrier and co-operating with the `tensioning' mechanism for preventing such Withdrawal during the operation of the tensioning mechanism.

38. In an appliance for banding a package, tensioning' mechanism for tightening the loop about the package, wire-joini mechanism for directly uniting'overlappe wire portions while the loop is under tension, and means engagea-ble with a band for precluding lateral ldisplacement of the band relatively to the appliance during the tensioning operation of the wire joining operation. f

.39. Aportable machine for banding a package with wire, comprising in a unitary and portable machine means for tensioning a wire loop around a package, power means for actuating 'the same, controlling means for said power means, and means responsive t-o a predetermined tensioning of the wire by such tensioning means forvcontrolling said power controlling means.

40. In a lportable machine for banding a package with wire, a unitary and portable means for tensionin a Wire loop around a package, means for t ereafter securing over- Alapping portions of the wire loop directly Pre.

overlapping ends to each other, a 4carrier for f said means, and means cooperating therewith to permit insertion of the wire loop and the united loop portions, and means for preventing Withdrawal other than sidewise, ofv the wire during the securing of. the loop portions together.

42. In a portable machine for banding a acka e, a carrier provided with a smooth sis ace W ereby said carrier is adapted to slide over a package, means for retainingthe ends of a looped band in lapping. relation, tension means supported onk the carrier and operable for eii'ecting a relative movementl between the band and the carrier, whereby said carrier automatically adjusts itself to position during the tensioning ofthe band and thus distributes the tensioning effect equally in opposite directions from the carrier, means for joining the lapped ends, and means for retaining said lapped ends against lateral displacement relatively to said carrier.

43. In a machine for banding a package,

a carrier, means for retaining the ends of a looped band in relatively lapping position, tension means including a rotatable member and a driving member slidable relatively to the rotatab1e=member, and means forV fastening the lapped ends to'each other.

44. In a machine for bandingl a package, a carrier, means for retaining the ends of a looped band in relatively lapping position, a rotatable tension member, a driving member slidable relatively to said rotatable member, arWorm and Worm gear intermediate said rotatable member and the slidable member, and means for fastening the lapping ends of said loo ed band.

45. In, a machine .for banding a package, a carrier, tension means for a looped band, welding means movable relativel to said band, and means for automatical y arresting the ilow of current to said welding means upon the ,completion of the Welding operation.

46.-'In a machine for bandin a ackage, means for tensionin a looped and, means for retaining the en .portions of said looped band in lappin relation, welding means including a mem er movable crosswise of said lapped ends,- means for' feeding current to saidv welding'member when' moved in one direction, vand means for cutting .off the flow of current to said member when moved in a direction crosswise of said lapped ends, a reverse direction. means for establishing and cutting off the 47. In a machine for bandin a ackage, flow of current to said'welding member, and 10 means for tensionin a looped and), means means for applying pressure to said weld- 5 for retaining the en portions of said looped in member.

band in lapping relation, welding means inigned at Chic'aDember 27th, 1918. eluding a member movable to and fro in JOHN SHER N MCCHESNEY. 

